


Over The Rainbow

by ExoticBuns



Category: RWBY
Genre: Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Background Relationships, F/F, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, It’s an Ilia story folks, Not Canon Compliant, Self-Doubt, Self-Harm, Silver eyed warriors, Suicidal Thoughts, Those being Renora and a prominent Bumbleby, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2020-10-27 14:03:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20761538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExoticBuns/pseuds/ExoticBuns
Summary: Ilia Amitola spent a majority of her life fighting against the humans. Now with a recent discovery she finds herself fighting to save them, as well as the rest of Remnant of course. Still, it’s not all bad when Weiss Schnee herself is giving her much needed pep talks.AU canon divergence where Ilia has silver eyes because frick you I can do what I want(Rated M for language and sensitive topics)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There is a sinful lack of prismatic ponytails in this house and I intend to fix that

“I’m only trying to explain to you why I am not so thrilled on going back to Atlas!” Weiss insisted, tears burning behind her eyes that she refused to let go of. “Excuse me for thinking to ask for a possible way to _avoid _my family!”

“Weiss, we get it, but this isn’t up for discussion.” Ruby held her ground with a stern look, arms crossed. She looked far beyond her years. “We have to go to Atlas to find the next relic like Ozpin told us to. We have to go back eventually and with all of the chaos going on it’s the perfect time for Salem to strike. It’s our first priority.”

“You have to look at the big picture, Weiss.” Blake’s voice was much softer than Ruby’s, attempting to coax Weiss into agreement rather than forcing. “Your issues with your family are tiny compared to the real stakes here.”

“That doesn’t make them any less important to _me_.” Weiss grumbled.

“Gods, get over yourself, princess!” Yang snapped, startling everyone but Ruby. “Who cares about your dumb family? The entire world might be destroyed if we don’t act! And I don’t see anyone else trying to fix things. Just us. So you either pull on your big girl pants and help us or you can cower in the dark like everyone else.”

“Yang. That’s enough.” Qrow sulked past them, eyes meeting Weiss’s with a cold stare. Not nearly as cold as her father’s, but certainly more dead. “I know your father sucks ass, kid, but we ain’t got another option.” He turned to the others. “This argument is over. Get going.” With that he continued out the front door, no doubt looking to find another bar to drown himself in. Weiss watched helplessly as her teammates all looked to each other before turning and walking away from her. She swore she felt her heart break.

Was it so unreasonable for her to not want to go back? None of them understood just how bad it was. She had mentioned before that her father was cruel and uncaring, that he only cared about money and didn’t have the time of day for his family. She had even mentioned to Ruby a few instances where he had become physical, but none of them knew the extent of it.

Weiss stepped out onto the back porch, sitting down on the steps and sulking. She wanted to put her team in the right, rationalize the fact that they only knew part of the story, but she was feeling bitter. Her chest ached with the memory of Yang’s words, of Ruby’s distant and detached eyes. She had never seen Ruby like that, never seen Yang like that either. They had both grown through a lot, but Weiss could only remember the kindness they would have shown her if they were still in Beacon.

“Blake told me you might be out here.” The unfamiliar voice was soft, a far cry from Ruby’s sternness and Blake’s harshness. Weiss understood why everyone was upset with her. They had every right to be. She didn’t expect any of them to apologize right away and when she looked she didn’t find them. Blake’s friend Ilia stood over her with a sympathetic look, silver eyes all too familiar to Weiss’s aching heart. She had thought Ruby of all people would understand.

“Here to give me another lecture?” Weiss asked her with a scoff. She released a small huff to blow away a few stray bits of hair that fell from her ponytail. She wondered if Ilia had overheard the argument, though her next words pretty much proved that right away.

“Are you kidding me? You’re the only one making sense around here.” That response caught Weiss off guard. She whipped her head around to look at her faunus acquaintance, but found a cold look in her eyes rather than a grin. Ilia sat on the porch beside her, arms resting on her knees. “Atlas sucks. I couldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to go back.”

“It sucks especially for me.” Weiss admitted carelessly. To her surprise, Ilia gave a dry laugh.

“Yeah. Schnee, huh? That must be a lot.” Weiss turned to her, finding cold steel blue eyes staring straight at her. They were intense, but held a softness that Weiss had never expected from a faunus. “I’ve learned a lot from Blake. Some of it good, some of it bad. I...know I need to not judge so quickly. She’s told me about you, how kind you can be despite your first impressions. So I’m trying not to make assumptions.”

“I appreciate that.” Weiss received a small nod in response and they were looking away again. It was tense, awkward even. Weiss wasn’t used to it. She had known Blake for weeks before finding out she was ex-White Fang. Even after, she knew that Blake never supported their terroristic means. Ilia, on the other hand, had been White Fang until just a few days ago. She supported Adam with determination. She had tried to kill Sun, seriously hurt him and Blake. Now Weiss was supposed to be friends with her?

_I don’t need you two to be friends,_ Blake had told her. _Just don’t kill each other._

“We don’t need to be friends.” Ilia told her, mimicking Blake’s words. “I never expected to be friends with any of you. Blake wants us all to get along because we used to be close, but I know what I did.” Her scales shifted to a dull blue and Weiss was admittedly startled by it. “Your leader’s welcoming and all, but I can tell she doesn’t trust me. Xiao-Long is trying to scare me and there are too many reasons why. You, though...”

“I’ve been keeping my distance from you.” She shook her head.

“No. Well, you have and I’ve noticed, but that’s not what I was going to say.” She quirked a smile. “You’ve been treating me normally, actually. A Schnee of all people, treating me like I’m anyone else.” She laughed and Weiss found herself smiling at the sound. “Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about the whole ‘going to Atlas thing’. You seemed upset. Figured you might need someone on your side.”

“Well, thank you. It’s been a lot, the past few months. I’ve had to deal with my father’s frustration with political bullshit and then I got kidnapped by bandits, whose leader turned out to be Yang’s _mom_...” She trailed off with an exhausted sigh. “Regardless, I appreciate someone trying to view the situation from my position.”

“Someone had to.” Ilia told her with a small smile. “I’m surprised your friends were so upset with you, actually. You’d think they would understand the most.” Her small hum seemed thoughtful, but she didn’t continue. The short lull in conversation was awkward, but not painful like those between her and her teammates. It wasn’t laced with shared memories of a happier time. Weiss wondered just how long ago Ilia had lost her youthful innocence. She got the feeling that it was much too soon.

“They’re all too focused on their own problems.” Weiss finally admitted with a soft sigh. She didn’t want to talk about her team anymore, didn’t want to talk about the impending doom. However, she didn’t want to stop talking to Ilia. Now that the two had gotten past their initial reluctance it seemed like they carried good conversation. “You implied that you used to live in Atlas.” Weiss mentioned, immediately noticing the sudden tension in Ilia’s shoulders.

“Yeah.” She fidgeted nervously, as if expecting questions she desperately wanted to avoid. “The city of dreams.” Weiss rolled her eyes. She could hear the sarcasm in Ilia’s voice, but hearing the nickname at all gave her chills.

“Something only a tourist would call it.” Weiss scoffed.

“I was only a kid.” Weiss frowned. She said that like she wasn’t one now. Weiss felt years ahead of what she was herself, to be fair. And she didn’t know anything about what Ilia had been through. “I went to school there. Had to keep the whole faunus thing a secret, obviously. It was easy, I guess, but one day my emotions got too...intense, you could say. Turned blue from head to toe and everyone was scared of me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Weiss found herself turning to face Ilia, rather than sit side by side like they had been. “Everyone was scared of me when I was little, because of my name. Thought my father would do something horrible, I suppose. Can’t say I blame them.” She was scared of him too. She paused, unsure if her intentions were getting through properly. “I know what it’s like, hiding a part of who you are because you’re scared of people treating you differently for it. I know it’s not the same.” It really wasn’t, and now she felt stupid for thinking it might be. A name is not comparable. “Not really at all. I’m sorry, that was probably rude of me.”

“It wasn’t.” Ilia assured her with a comforting smile. It caught Weiss off guard and she found her mind sputtering for a response that wasn’t even necessary. “I’m...touched, I guess is the word. That you think we have something like that in common. The fact that you’re even trying to compare us, I...” She laughed, an awkward and stilted noise, only done because she didn’t know how else to react. “I never expected that from a human. Much less a Schnee. I expected you to hate me. To spit on the ground I walk on.”

“I’d like to be offended that you might think that, but I know exactly why you would.” Weiss admitted sadly. She fidgeted, wanting to open up but unable to fully trust her. “I used to be like that, I’ll admit. I’m just so glad I was able to escape the toxicity of home, that I met Blake and that she was able to trust me the tiniest amount despite my name.” Weiss wrapped her arms around herself, ashamed of how she had acted that day. “If it wasn’t for Blake I might still be like that.”

“If it wasn’t for Blake...a lot of things would be different. She doesn’t give herself enough credit.” Weiss noticed the frustration in Ilia’s eyes, the fondness just beneath it. “I would still be in the White Fang, Adam wouldn’t have been so hell bent on Beacon...” Ilia took a shaky breath. “Sorry. She hates it when I mention it. I’m sorry if it bothers you too.”

“Only when people don’t take it seriously.” Weiss knew exactly why it bothered Blake so much. She had gone through a lot that night. Much more than Weiss did. “It happened, and I can’t deny that. She and Yang are just...they went through a lot more than I did that night. It hits them a lot more.”

“Right. She...lost her arm, right?” Ilia’s eyes had shifted a dull red. They reminded Weiss of Yang’s, albeit less vibrant. “Blake never told me anything, but Sun isn’t subtle. Plus with the way they keep acting around each other...” She shook her head and just like that she seemed normal again. “It’s hard not to notice. Especially when you’ve known Blake as long as I have.”

“How long have you known her?” Weiss asked, eager to steer the conversation away from Yang and their emotional baggage from Beacon. Ilia shrugged and leaned back on her hands, closing her eyes as she spoke. Weiss couldn’t help but feel flattered at the show of trust, however unintentional it was.

“Since we were like fourteen, I think.” She sighed and leaned forward again, hunched over defensively. “The school incident had happened a couple years before and I had been wandering basically, until I heard about the White Fang getting more serious. They weren’t just protestors anymore. They were actually _doing_ something, and I wanted to be a part of it.” She stopped and gave a dry and bitter laugh. “Sorry. You didn’t ask for my life story.”

“I don’t mind.” Weiss admitted quietly. Ilia didn’t seem to react for several seconds, and Weiss felt her breath leave her when Ilia finally turned to look at her. Her blue eyes shined with vulnerability weakly guarded by a lifetime of burden. There was a question there, asking more than Weiss fully understood in that moment. “I find you interesting.” She wasn’t certain when she caught her breath, let alone how she managed to form words.

Ilia’s eyes became mischievous and a soft smirk slowly stretched her lips. “So you’re saying you’re interested in me?” Weiss sputtered unexpectedly, her cheeks rapidly growing warm. She turned away with a huff, crossing her arms defensively.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Ilia laughed, taking the reaction in stride. She stood as her laughter died down, reaching out a hand to Weiss with a crooked smile.

“I’m just teasing, princess.” Weiss was surprised that for once the overused nickname didn’t bother her as much as it should. While Yang used it with intended mockery, Blake and Ruby with frustration, Ilia seemed to only intend it with affection. It was an endearing nickname and nothing more. “Come on. Your team has probably cooled off by now.”

“You’re awfully unique, Ilia.” Weiss told her as she grabbed her hand for unnecessary assistance in standing. “I think there’s a lot more to you than “Blake’s old White Fang friend” as everyone has so lovingly dubbed you.” The sentiment seemed to catch the faunus off guard because suddenly she was blushing, the color focused to her more prominent scales.

“I’m surprised you of all people would say that.” She fidgeted, anxiously glancing to her feet and kicking them into the dirt. “And...flattered, if I’m honest. I didn’t think any of you would bother to look past my scales.”

“I could hardly blame them. They’re rather nice, after all.” Weiss quipped with a playful smirk, taking all too much enjoyment out of Ilia’s flustered sputtering. She giggled, something she hadn’t done in far too long. “I’m only teasing, _princess_.” Weiss brought her own words back to bite her, relishing Ilia’s surprise at being outplayed.

“You two seem to be getting along well.” The two immediately turned to find Blake with a pleasantly surprised expression, Yang standing just beside her with a knowing smirk. As if there was anything to _know_.

“Blake!” Ilia was suddenly an entirely different person. Shy and reserved, but eager to please in every way. Weiss knew exactly why, though she held her tongue. “I wasn’t expecting you to come out here. I thought everyone was upset.”

“We were.” Yang acknowledged with a shrug. “But we talked about it, and we get it.” Weiss met her gaze, a tense conversation happening between them silently. Weiss had opened up to her before about her family, about how awful it had been for her in Atlas. Only Ruby knew more than she did. “I’m sorry for yelling earlier, Weiss, and for what I said. I was more focused on the big picture and forgot to consider how you might feel.”

“I’m sorry too.” Blake followed quickly, worry evident in her eyes. “We’re your teammates, your friends. We should have been more considerate to you.” Weiss was quickly overwhelmed by the sudden apologies, only just now fully absorbing her conversation with Ilia. The two got along surprisingly well, and now she was thrust right back into the nightmare that was her life.

“I wasn’t that upset about it.” She lied, blatantly. She tried not to notice Ilia staring at her with concern. They were strangers, acquaintances at best. “I understand why you all acted that way.” Still, the words clawed at the back of her throat and she had to ask them. “What about Ruby?”

“She wants to apologize, but doesn’t know how to say it.” Yang answered with a fond scoff. “Typical.” Her smile faded into something more serious and she took a step towards Weiss, grabbing her shoulder firmly. Blake’s eyes snapped to Ilia, but Weiss couldn’t bring herself to care why. “She’s got a lot going on right now, Weiss. Don’t hold it against her if she doesn’t apologize. She’s got so much riding on her and honestly? She’s got bigger things to deal with.”

“Yang.” Blake’s scolding tone pulled Yang away, but not her eyes. Those intense violet eyes had never held so much anger towards Weiss. She didn’t even know what she’d done to deserve such animosity from Yang.

“Back off.” Ilia’s voice rang in Weiss’ ear, filled with venom and protectiveness that held more than simple kindness. Weiss was vaguely aware of her stepping up to Yang, being dwarfed by the blonde and still hold that fiery look. She heard Blake call Ilia’s name, heard them arguing, a punch and suddenly a fight was going on beside her.

She couldn’t bring herself to care.


	2. Chapter 2

You’re an idiot.” Blake’s voice echoed in her head, reminding her of countless times she had needed a patch job from her fellow faunus. “Picking a fight with Yang? I guess I can’t expect you to know any better.” Ilia scoffed, anger boiling under her skin. She felt her skin ripple, but refused to change color. She didn’t want Blake to know.

_Know what?_

“I only pushed her.” She growled. She really didn’t like that blonde. She walked around like the world was hers, like everyone’s problems were hers. Walked around like _Blake_ was hers. Ilia bit her tongue. She was over Blake. She was over it. “How was I supposed to know your partner could throw a punch like that?”

“You should have known that my partner would be at least somewhat competent.” Blake told her with the smallest hint of fondness in her eyes. “Team RWBY was the best in school, after all.”

“I just assumed you and Weiss carried the team.” Ilia said with a sarcastic smirk, earning a sharp laugh from Blake. She reached over for the ice pack and gently held it against Ilia’s eye. Her aura had held back most of the blows, but Yang was strong and had caught her off guard.

“Maybe we did a little bit.” Blake admitted softly. Ilia smiled. She had missed Blake’s confidence. She hadn’t seen it in a long time. “Speaking of which, the two of you seemed to be hitting it off.”

“What, me and Weiss?” Ilia scoffed, all too ready to deny it wholeheartedly. “Why would you think that? Me, friends with a Schnee? Not in a million years.”

“Says the girl whose been calling her by her name ever since you talked.” Ilia winced at that. Of course Blake had noticed. “You refuse to call any of my friends by their names. It’s always partner, team leader, the quiet one, but all of a sudden you’re calling “_little miss heiress_” by her first name.” The playfulness in Blake’s tone almost scared her.

“What are you implying?” She asked cautiously, as if that would help her case at all. She knew that Weiss and her got along. It was a nice surprise. Out of all of Blake’s friends...a Schnee is who she liked the most, who she had the most in common with.

“Nothing. Just admit that you two get along.” Blake held an eager smile, clearly happy that Ilia seemed to like one of her friends. It was a far cry from her distaste towards Yang, lack of interest in Ren and Nora, lack of respect for Jaune. “Orrrr...I could tell her how you have a thing for scars.” Her scales flushed pink and she abruptly stood.

“Oh my gods! Fine!” She knew Blake wouldn’t let this go, especially after that burst of color. “What do you want me to say, Blake? Your teammate is really pretty and the fact that she’s a Schnee doesn’t even matter to me?” Saying it out loud made her scales flush all over again. “Or are you trying to convince me to actually pursue her? I mean, it’s not like the world is at stake or anything! Not like she has too much on her plate already.”

“I’m sorry, Ilia. I didn’t realize it bothered you so much.”

“How could it not!? She’s a Schnee, Blake. You can’t have thought I wouldn’t mind.” Ilia told her with a small huff, turning away so she didn’t have to look her in the eye anymore. “It’s not serious anyway. She’s just pretty. And really kind.”

“I know.” Blake smiled fondly, speaking of her friend with pride. “She’s so different now than when I met her. I hated her back then, honestly. You would have too.” Ilia didn’t doubt that. Even Weiss had admitted to her horrid personality. “But over time she grew on me. She started trying more, to be a part of the team. Started being more considerate to my ears. Started standing up for the faunus at school.”

“I’m glad she’s changed so much. I think she’s proud of herself.” Ilia remembered the look in Weiss’ eyes as she recalled the girl she used to be. There was shame there, behind the nostalgia of Beacon.

“She should be. There’s a lot to be proud of.” Blake hummed. “I’m certainly proud of her. And I know Ruby is too.” Blake paused, glancing away. Across the room the rest of her team set up a board game. A way to pass the time; no doubt their leader’s idea. “I’m proud of you too.” Ilia looked at her in surprise, choosing to ignore the way her heart jumped. “Leaving the White Fang, making an effort to get to know my friends. You’ve changed, Ilia. A few years ago you would have called me naive for having human friends.”

“I would have called you crazy for even talking to a Schnee.” Ilia admitted shamefully. She quickly tried to turn the attention away from herself. “And what about that blonde, huh? I’ve seen the way you look at her. Would have called you crazy for that too.”

“She’s better than Adam, at least.” Blake scoffed, seemingly offended by the insinuation. “Leagues better.” Her gaze fell, suddenly sad, and Ilia felt guilty for bringing it up. Then, to her surprise, Blake smiled. “At least I can admit I like her.” With those simple words lagging behind her she left to join her team, purposefully seeking out Yang’s attention. Ilia frowned.

Blake and Yang had known each other a lot longer. There could be genuine love there. How could anyone compare that to her and Weiss? They had known each other a total of two days.

She knew that wasn’t the point, though.

Ilia didn’t bother sticking around for team RWBY’s game like everyone else did. Sun was cheering them on, dubbing himself Blake’s personal cheerleader. The rest were watching intently, silently apart from Nora. Ilia wasn’t interested in mindless banter. With all the shit going on right now they were playing games?

She snuck off deeper into the house, exploring aimlessly. It was a nice place. She was surprised that the group had been able to get a hold of it, though she assumed it was either Weiss’ influence or Qrow’s. He seemed to be a pretty well known huntsman. Regardless, Ilia felt like there were too many rooms. The place felt empty. Creepy. Her skin shifted darker, her instinctive attempt to hide despite it being the middle of the day. She slipped into one of the rooms, freezing when she noticed the decorating. This one was actually occupied.

Her eyes immediately found the bright red weapon, folded neatly and yet thrown carelessly onto the bed. In obvious contrast, a weapon case was placed carefully atop the dresser. Ilia approached it, knowing better but not really caring. She ran her fingers over the case, the engraved Schnee logo calling to her somehow. Once upon a time she would have stolen this without a second thought. It was Schnee, so it was obviously valuable. She clicked it open with little hesitation. Inside was a rapier, a delicately crafted design, with vials of pure dust set aside if needed. Her fingers skimmed the metal, her heart in awe at the beauty of the design. She had caught a glance at the weapon during the conflict at Haven, but never had the chance to look at it so closely.

“I certainly hope you weren’t planning on stealing that.” Ilia tensed, immediately recognizing the voice. Of course she would be caught by the one person that she really didn’t want to see. She turned around, gaze low to the ground.

“I was just looking.” She explained, her voice immensely quiet as she quickly lost her courage. “It’s a beautiful design. It fits you.” She glanced up to see her reaction, her heart jumping at the sight of Weiss’ shy smile. She walked forward and Ilia sidestepped to avoid being too close to her.

“I should be asking you why you’re in here at all.” Weiss told her with an oddly soft sternness as she closed her weapon case. She turned to face Ilia, her brow quirked in curiosity. She couldn’t be blamed for finding it cute. She was only a girl.

“I was just exploring. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

“I...I do.” They were too close suddenly. Ilia couldn’t stop her scales from turning pink. Weiss only seemed amused by the sight, not annoyed or disgusted. Those icy blue eyes seemed to pull her in. “What are you doing up here? I thought your team was playing a game together.” She asked, desperate to keep her thoughts elsewhere.

“Yang and Sun started riling each other up and now there’s an arm wrestling contest going on. Trust me, Yang will win, but Ruby insisted that I get a notebook to keep score.” Her fond smile as she spoke of her teammates’ antics was infectious. Ilia found herself smiling even though she had no attachment to them whatsoever.

_If Weiss likes them, then how bad can they be?_

“Weiss! I beat Jaune-because of course I did-and then Ren beat _me_ so now he and Sun are up!” Ruby rushed over to her partner with a wide grin and Ilia was impressed with how easily Weiss took her energy in stride. The aforementioned match was over surprisingly quick with Sun exclaiming that he was thrown off by his nemesis entering the room. Ren rolled his eyes, as did Ilia. “Now it’s your turn!” Ruby pushed Weiss over to the table without waiting for her response and soon the poor girl was sitting across from Ren with a very confused expression.

“Ruby!” Weiss’s voice cracked as she spun around to try and talk herself out of the contest, but Ren was welcoming his new opponent. Weiss sighed and turned to him with a roll of her eyes, already knowing that she was going to lose. Her fighting style was dependent on skill and technique, not strength.

Ilia laughed as the match was over before it had even begun, with Weiss gingerly rubbing her hand after it had been quickly smacked against the table. With a burst of excitement Nora was in Weiss’s seat, ready to take on her partner and destroy him. Ilia welcomed Weiss’ company beside her, paying little attention to the match that everyone else was cheering on.

“I hate these contests.” Weiss grumbled as she continued to rub her hand. Ilia looked down at it in concern, but didn’t see any noticeable damage. She scolded herself for assuming an arm wrestle would cause any significant harm. She was overreacting.

“Why is that?” Ilia asked, vaguely aware of Nora cheering victoriously. Ren was replaced by Blake after some comment by Nora about how she never participated before. Ilia had arm wrestled Blake before, back on boring stakeout missions. She was stronger than she looked. “I think it looks fun.”

“They all know I’m not strong and yet they insist that I participate. Contests are not fun when you always come last.” Weiss sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Even Jaune beats me every time.”

“They only want you to be a part of their fun.” Ilia reasoned, a sly grin finding her lips when Nora was shocked at her loss. Blake was humble about it, but was clearly enjoying Yang’s praise. “Besides, your noodle arms are cute.” Ilia had meant it purely as a joke, but that didn’t stop Weiss from blushing.

“I do not have _noodle_ arms.” Weiss huffed, turning away with crossed arms. Ilia laughed. She couldn’t help herself when Weiss’s reactions were so adorable. Unfortunately her attention was stolen when Ruby started chanting _bumblebee_, and she turned to find Yang and Blake locking arms with a strong intensity between them that felt unbreakable. A spark of jealousy ignited in her.

“Hey, can I join in?” She asked with a hand on Ruby’s shoulder, surprising the girl and taking away the incessant chanting. Ruby frowned, seemed to consider it, before smiling and offering her a shrug.

“Sure, but the main rounds are already over. I can add you to the losers bracket. You can push your way up from there.” Fighting her way up from the bottom. How fitting.

“Ha! Take that, Belladonna!” Yang threw her hands in the air before pumping a fist. “You still can’t beat me!”

“You’re lucky I’m not calling that arm of yours an unfair advantage.” Blake quipped with a roll of her eyes. “How am I supposed to win against a mechanical arm?”

“Should have thought of that before.” Yang laughed, the tension in her voice clear to everyone in the room. She quickly brushed it off and turned to flex both arms in a grandiose manner. _She’s a really sore winner_, Ilia thought to herself. “That makes me the champion! As usual!”

“Hey! We haven’t even gone through the losers bracket!” Ruby exclaimed, snatching the notebook from Weiss’ hands. “Jaune vs Sun, and then me and Weiss, and then Nora and Ilia, and then Ren and Blake!” Ruby flapped the notebook insistently as she continued. “We have to do things right!”

“Okay, fine.” Yang laughed and stepped away from the table. “Not like it changes anything.” Ilia frowned, her skin rippling as she was tempted to change. It changed everything.

Most of the matches went by quick. Nobody seemed surprised that Jaune and Weiss were quickly out of the rankings. Ren lost to Blake, and then Ruby lost to her as well. Ilia’s turn was up before she knew it and suddenly she was sitting across from Nora, a girl she had never spoken to but knew way too much about. Ruby counted down and Ilia snapped. She let her rage fuel her, her jealousy, her desire to show off. Nora was tough, stronger than one might expect from a peppy young girl like her, but that hammer she carried was pretty damn heavy.

Ilia still won, surprising everyone but Blake. She knew how rigorous White Fang training was, how insistent they were that you were prepared for everything. Even if Ilia’s weapon of choice didn’t require strength training, it was still expected of her. With that victory the losers bracket was already over and they were moving to the champions. Ilia was up against Sun, and his friendly smile was not welcomed.

He declared that this would make them truly even, already making the assumption that he would win. Ilia felt red crawl over her skin. She would make sure to wipe that smirk right off his face. They went on Ruby’s count and they struggled against each other, Sun’s grin vanishing as he was forced to actually focus. Ilia smirked and pushed his arm down farther, relishing the shock in his eyes as his hand touched the table. Ruby called the match and Sun sulked away, receiving a pat on the back from Blake. She was up next and moved to sit across from Ilia, a smile on her lips. Ilia didn’t smile back.

They pushed against each other, fire burning beneath Ilia’s skin. Residual anger boiled just under the surface and she could remember all too vividly flames and sparks of electricity that surrounded their last battle. Ilia had always known that Blake was deceptively strong, but was surprised to find this easier than before. They were evenly matched the last time they had arm wrestled, each pushing harder only to be met with the same amount of force. Now Ilia found it easy to push Blake too far, slamming her hand against the table and yet again surprising everyone.

Yang was visibly intimidated.

_Good_, Ilia thought. _She should be_.

Their hands met, warm skin against cold metal. Ilia felt jealousy tint her skin, her scales green and skin red. Yang seemed surprised by the change in color. _All the more reason to hate her_, Ilia thought. Ruby set them off and the struggle began, Ilia’s eyes red as she focused intently on violet. Those violet eyes shifted, tinted red but didn’t fully change. Ilia almost lost her guard from the surprise. This girl was human, wasn’t she? She shouldn’t change color.

“Go Ilia!” Weiss cheered from the crowd of friends, earning a shocked look from Ruby as if betrayed. Ilia ignored her, focusing on her match. She couldn’t let Weiss distract her. “What? Yang always wins. I want to mix things up a bit.” Yang cracked a smile, obviously listening to the banter as well and letting it feed her ego. Ilia wouldn’t let her win. Her muscles ached and her skin itched, but she wouldn’t let Yang win.

Warm skin touched the cold table and Ruby called the match over. Yang cheered for herself, quickly joined by the majority of her friends. Ilia cursed under her breath, lifting a hand to rub her bicep. She gave the blonde a run for her money, but in the end she was still the undefeated champion. She almost slipped away from the crowd to head out, but was stopped by a cold hand on her arm. She turned, ready to deliver harsh words, but froze when she saw Weiss.

“I’m sorry if I scared you.” Her voice was soft, too soft honestly. Ilia met her icy blue eyes and couldn’t stop the hint of a smile on her lips.

“You didn’t. Don’t feel too bad for me losing. I had fun.” Ilia assured her, not wanting any of her pity.

“Did you?” Weiss asked skeptically. “It seemed like you were trying to prove something.”

“I...” Ilia hesitated. She wasn’t surprised Weiss had noticed, just surprised that she would bring it up. She gave a frustrated sigh. Even she didn’t understand how she felt. How was she supposed to explain it to Weiss? “I’m over it. I am. I mean...” Her breath grew shaky. “I want to be.”

“Over Blake?” Ilia’s eyes shot away, ashamed that she was so easy to read. Ashamed that Weiss had figured it out. “You still like her, don’t you? That’s why you hate Yang so much.”

“No! I don’t anymore.” Ilia insisted, surprised by her insistence. Why did it matter so much suddenly? “I used to. But I don’t anymore.” She tried to think of how to explain it, but nothing sounded right in her head. “I just...I just feel bitter. She falls for Adam and then leaves, forgetting about me, and then while she’s gone she finds a _girl_? I never even thought she _liked_ girls.”

“I don’t think she did either.” Weiss mentioned with a soft laugh. Ilia glanced up at her hesitantly. There was a silent question. _What about you_?

Weiss never answered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey Im not dead. Sorry I disappeared for so long, but Im back and Im bringing this back babyyy

Ilia’s nose wrinkled as she woke to the smell of pancakes. In White Fang camps, and even in their sparse safe houses, it was unusual to wake up to find anything cooking, let alone something so sweet and sugary. Pancakes were a creature comfort that wasn’t necessary. Eggs and sausage was much more efficient, and better for the health of a soldier.

Still, it was a nice smell, and she wasn’t about to complain.

She sat up and felt the blanket fall to her lap. She frowned, suddenly remembering that she hadn’t fallen asleep with it. Did Blake give it to her before heading to bed herself? She was the only one Ilia thought might bother. She didn’t dwell on it, looking around the messy living room with a small smirk. Last night the rowdy bunch had gone a bit overboard, mostly thanks to Ruby’s impromptu trip to the store that led to confetti and party poppers. Nora, of course, didn’t help when Weiss and Blake tried to convince the sisters (yes, Yang had eagerly joined in) to calm down.

Ilia was surprised to find the culprit passed out on the opposite couch, snoring blissfully with a blanket tucked over her. Ilia was fairly sure that Ruby hadn’t fallen asleep with it, so it was likely that whoever gave her a blanket gave one to Ruby too.

“Order up!” Yang’s voice called from the kitchen, and Ilia heard an excited squeal before Yang spoke again. “Nora! I can’t make em any faster than you eat them! Leave some for the others!” A half-sincere apology followed and Ilia smiled to herself.

Her face fell again when she remembered what these people were to each other, what they had all been through. They had each other’s backs and each trusted every other with nearly everything. Ilia had intruded upon that, inserted herself into a group that didn’t want her. They entertained her for one night because she helped at Haven, but past that none of them wanted her to stay.

She stood up from the couch and folded the blanket, placing it on the corner. She stared at it for a moment too long, still wondering why Blake had done such a thing when she knew what White Fang camps were like. Ilia had slept on the hard ground with nothing to cover her before. Blake knew that. Blake had done that too. Ilia shook her head and turned to leave, casting one final glance at Ruby before heading out the door.

She didn’t know how long she walked and just wandered the streets, but she knew it was about noon now. She could hear people talking on the streets, talking about the White Fang attack, how they were starting to fall apart. One mentioned the death of the high leader and Ilia’s head sank in shame. She remembered when Adam told her. He claimed that Sienna was killed by a huntsman, but Ilia knew better. She knew that look in his eye.

Ilia took a shaky breath. Mistral had plenty of rocky cliffs, plenty of opportunity. It wasn’t hard to find this ledge. The hard part was gathering the courage to jump. Her aura was flickering with instinctive self-preservation. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her brain tried to rationalize with her, convince herself that this was the wrong decision. Her life was a waste now, and no rationalizing could change that fact. Everything she had worked for was destroyed and now she had no place. No friends, no family. Back to square one.

_Blake is your friend. She cares about you._

_No she doesn’t. She only pities you._

_You’re her oldest friend._

_No, there’s Adam._

_He’s a monster_

_So am I for doing nothing._

_Reach out to her. She won’t abandon you._

_She already has._

Ilia looked down, the wind hitting her face. It was calling to her. The freedom. She reached back and untied her ponytail. She had always worn it up to stay out of the way while fighting. Because of that and other things it had always seemed more convenient. Now she could do what she wanted. She could let the wind carry it without worry. If she lost focus and someone got a lucky hit on her, that was just how it was. She didn’t care anymore.

She almost managed to lift her foot when a voice called out from behind her. “Ilia! There you are!” She froze, unable to turn around. Weiss bounded up to her, a hand gently gripping her shoulder. “We were about to leave for the train to Solitas.”

“And?” _Why should that matter to me_? _You all will leave anyway_. _Blake will leave just like she did before, leaving me behind. Alone._

“I just...thought you might want to say goodbye.” Weiss’ voice softened as she turned to look over the cliff where Ilia still stared longingly. “Are you... okay?” Ilia scoffed and shook her head, her loose hair falling over her shoulders.

“I just...feel like a waste. Everything has fallen apart.” She felt tears struggle to form but she held them back. She couldn’t cry in front of a Schnee. What would Adam think? What would Sienna think? Her _parents_? God, but she wanted to so damn badly.

“I...” Weiss hesitated, clearly considering her words very carefully. She let out a shaky breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t really know what to say.” Her gentle grip on Ilia’s shoulder became firm. “Please, don’t. You’re a good person and...”

“How can you say that!?” Ilia snapped, the tears flowing freely before she could stop them. “I’ve stolen things, extorted people, _killed_ people! I was going to kill _Blake’s parents_!”

“But you didn’t want to. You were only doing those things because Adam-”

“Adam had nothing to do with it! I wanted to prove myself to Sienna and the others. I wanted them to see how strong I could be. I made those choices myself. _I_ did.” Her shoulders quaked with every wracking sob. Weiss held her back, rubbing soothingly into the aching muscles. The soft touch only made her cry harder. “But I’m not strong. Look at me. I’m weak.”

“Crying doesn’t make you weak. Feeling helpless doesn’t make you weak.” Weiss’ soft hush of a voice against her ear made her chest warm, helped her sobs lessen in strength. “It’s okay to cry, Ilia.” She whimpered, her sobs quieting as her heart was filled with rushing memories of her mother whispering those same assurances to her. When she was little and had been teased by both human and faunus, her mother told her that same thing.

It’s okay to cry.

“Shit.” Ilia cursed and wiped away her tears, her skin rolling into a vibrant green. Her hands found Weiss’s and the human girl held no contempt for her in her eyes. Weiss was concerned, desperate to make sure Ilia was okay. Her eyes only held fondness. “I don’t understand.” Ilia muttered, green tinted red and blue tinted yellow. “How can you look at me like that? You shouldn’t be so okay with this.”

“With what? You crying?” Weiss reached out to her cheek but Ilia brushed her hand away. Weiss frowned, confusion knotting her brow. “I’d like to think that we’re friends. Shouldn’t I be concerned if my friend is crying?”

“No, not that.” Her skin rippled and she was her neutral color once more, though she knew that her scales were tinged purple. “_This._” She lifted her hand and gestured to the scales over her arm, purposefully changing color to cement her point. “I change color, Weiss. You’re acting like that’s normal.” She pursed her lips in consideration as she stared at Ilia’s scales, eventually lifting her gaze to burning silver eyes.

“It is normal.” Weiss told her with firm confidence, a shy smile pulling at her lips. “For you, at least. I’ll admit that I’m not used to it, but I don’t mind it. It’s part of who you are.” Slender fingers traced over scales on Ilia’s arm and she watched them turn pink in a flash. Weiss was staring at them, her eyes thoughtful. Ilia’s eyes wandered down to her lips, a pale pink that looked amazingly soft.

She mentally scolded herself for the thought that crossed her mind. Going from one hopeless pursuit to another didn’t interest her in the slightest. She knew there was no way a human could ever be interested in her. Let alone a Schnee. So the fleeting thought was tossed away, never to be acknowledged or acted upon.

“We should head back.” Weiss reached out for Ilia’s hand and the poor faunus girl reluctantly allowed her to drag her along. She glanced over her shoulder longingly at the cliff, but scolded herself for it. She tried to think of how Blake would react, of what her parents would think. She pushed forward, because that’s what they would want.

………

“So...about Weiss...” The sudden change in topic made Blake jump, nearly dropping her mug. Ilia shifted nervously, leaning back against the kitchen counter. Blake looked at her curiously as she poured her tea.

“What about her?” She calmly took a sip, though her eyes never left Ilia and she quickly regretted bringing it up. She rubbed the back of her neck anxiously as she carefully considered her words.

“I..._might_ have...a _teeny tiny_...crush...” Ilia could feel her scales turn pink as she watched Blake’s expression change into surprise. She laughed suddenly and placed her mug of tea on the counter, adopting a more casual stance.

“Obviously. What brought this up?” Her golden eyes shimmered with mischievous curiosity and Ilia worried if she might tell her partner about this.

“Just...promise me you won’t tell anyone? Especially your teammates.” Blake raised a brow, her eyes filled with suspicion. _How long have you known me_, they asked. Ilia swallowed hard. “I...might have...um...thought about...kissing her...” She trailed off into a murmur, every inch of her face turning bright pink. She didn’t have to speak louder for Blake to hear properly, something that made Ilia curse her faunus ears for once.

“That’s so cute!” Blake enthused with a grin that was far too wide for Ilia’s liking. Her situation was so strange. She was confiding in her first love about her new crush. Blake’s friend no less. “You should talk to her about it.”

“What!?” The suggestion made Ilia jump to attention, a cold grey rushing over her. “No way! She’s a Schnee! She’s probably had _nightmares_ about dating a faunus!” She was only thinking realistically. It wasn’t unreasonable to think, but the way Blake stared at her made her feel like it was. “Not to mention I have _no _idea if she’s interested in girls.” Ilia insisted, crossing her arms. Her skin returned to normal and she felt an odd relief. “I just needed to tell someone.”

“But you’re never going to do anything about it?” Blake asked her skeptically, her desire to give a push way too obvious. Ilia didn’t answer and Blake sighed in defeat. “Fine. I won’t tell her, but you really should. I think she’ll surprise you.” For a second Ilia thought that might mean Weiss returned these feelings, but she quickly dismissed the idea. There was no way Weiss would fall for someone as screwed up as she was. Not when she was so perfect. It wouldn’t do any good to get her hopes up.

“You guys are headed to Atlas anyway. I don’t have a place in your group.” She sighed and offered Blake a shrug. She frowned, ears drooping sadly. She never argued, though. She knew that Ilia was right.

……………

“I still don’t feel like I deserve the freedom you and your family granted me.” Ilia admitted softly. Blake rolled her eyes fondly and cocked her hip.

“Well you’re going to have to get over it, Ilia.” Her ears twitched with her smile and Ilia was surprised that the gesture didn’t make her heart race like she remembered it once doing. “Saving Haven had a huge impact on how faunus are seen in Mistral. Now it’s up to you all to take the progress and keep running with it.”

“Right.” Ilia nodded firmly, partly trying to convince herself. “The White Fang may have been a failure, but with your father starting up a new movement, I’ve got more faith than ever before.” Faith that no matter what, somebody would do something. Eventually things had to change. She might never see it herself, but if future faunus can grow up without the ridicule that she experienced then she would do everything she could.

Ilia hesitated a moment before stepping forward and hugging Blake tightly, something she hadn’t done in what felt like eons. Blake returned it sincerely

“Thank you, Blake. For everything.” She whispered, always knowing that her voice was reaching those pesky little ears. She used to like them. She never had to repeat herself. Her arms tightened their hold. “I wish you didn’t have to go.” Her voice cracked and she cursed herself for it.

“I know.” The softness of her voice had Ilia convinced that she really _did_ know. Then their hug ended and suddenly she felt miles away again. “But my team needs me. We’re going to track down the people responsible for the attack on Haven and the fall of Beacon.” Ilia paused for a second, surprised that the team still wanted to try that after what happened. Weiss had almost died. If it wasn’t for Jaune ex Machina...

“Always trying to save the world.” She hid her fear behind a joke, her endearing smile genuine as she remembered that she knew Blake all too well. The White Fang, Beacon, and now this. Whatever this was. Blake was always trying to leave her mark.

“More than you realize.” Blake muttered distractedly, her ears drooping slightly. Ilia frowned and glanced over the railing to Blake’s team, goofing off like usual as if nothing was wrong. If someone looked closer, though, they could see the pain in their smiles. Weiss was fidgeting in her seat, a weak smile trying to convince her teammates that she was okay.

She had wanted to see her off too, but she felt like that was crossing a boundary. She was friends with Blake, not the rest of them. They were just friends of a friend. All too distracted by each other to pay any attention to Ilia being left behind. Her dumb crush didn’t mean anything compared to what they were dealing with. Speaking of which... “Hey, I know your parents already saw you off, but where’s-”

“Sun? Oh! He’s right here!” Sun seemed to pop up out of nowhere, much to Ilia’s dismay and Blake’s pleasant surprise. She wanted to know if he was being a good friend, but that didn’t mean she wanted to _see _him. “What, you didn’t think I was gonna miss your big send-off, did ya?”

“He definitely overslept and absolutely almost missed this.” His best friend Neptune declared after popping up from behind. Sun jumped and shushed him angrily, only receiving a harsh shove in response. “Hey Blake. Now, would you hurry up? Need I remind you, we have our own trip to plan!” He didn’t seem to care all that much about Blake’s departure, but more so getting his friend back. Ilia couldn’t blame him.

“Oh! I didn’t know Ilia was going to be here.”

_Scratch that, she could._

“I’ll, uh...I’ll give you two a moment.” He brushed off Sun and Blake as he began approaching Ilia, an awkward grin on his face. She froze, not knowing what to expect, let alone how to react. “Hey, uh, almost didn’t see ya there. Cuz you know, the... the camouflage?” _Of course he opens with a faunus joke_. Anyone would have expected him to know better, having a faunus team leader.

“Har har.” Ilia responded with a dry and sarcastic laugh, already displeased with the conversation’s direction. “Can I help you?”

“Just thought I would invite you to lunch or something?” He offered with an awkward shrug. He knew he was striking out, but didn’t know when to stop. “I’d like to get to know you better, you know. Any friend of Blake’s is someone interesting. Plus most of her friends are gorgeous, like Weiss!” He cringed, too distracted with his mistake to notice the way Ilia’s attention perked. “I mean, I’m not dating her! We hung out like once but she didn’t seem super into me and then the whole Beacon thing happened and _woof._”

“You like Weiss?” Ilia felt her skin crawl with the urge to change color, but she held it back.

“Well, kinda. I did. I mean, she’s really pretty and smart and actually pretty funny-ah, whoa! Your scales turned green!” He stumbled over his words once he opened his eyes and noticed her scales. Ilia quickly covered her arms, suddenly self conscious of how expressive her colors could be.

“Listen, Neptune, even if I was willing to date a human,” Which you are. “I’m not into guys, okay? So stop trying.”

“O-Oh. Okay. Um...” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and glanced away. “Well, what do you think of Weiss?” He asked with a smirk. Ilia scoffed at the question and quickly turned away, as if that would hide her pink scales from him.

“Why does it matter? Just get lost.” He seemed perfectly willing to continue interrogating her, but luckily Sun dragged him away with an apologetic smile. For once Ilia was glad to have him around. She shuddered. _What do I think of Weiss, huh_? Ilia scoffed and leaned against the railing as she watched Blake head down to join her team. Her eyes found the pale heiress and she began to really consider the question.

_Beautiful._

_Smart._

_Talented._

_Brave._

_Kind._

_Warm._

She noticed the team waving at her and she awkwardly waved back, only then noticing that she was smiling. Blake looked at her knowingly, with pity, and took Weiss’s arm as they boarded the train. Ilia cursed under her breath and spun around. Blake was gone. The White Fang was gone. What was she supposed to do now?


End file.
